Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-09-11

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You let a friend stay at your apartment while you were away on a trip. When you returned home, you discovered that a valuable possession was broken.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter
• describe the broken possession.
• explain why it is important to you.
• explain what you would like your friend to do.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear _________,

Student answer (Band 5.0)

Dear Ali

I'm happy to for you that you love at my house for few days .Hope so that so spent better time here , tomorrow morning I come back to my house and saw that my possession was broken . It is valuable for me because my grandmother given it to my at my 6th birthday and since 10 years I have protect it from any harm . I just want to tell you that if you broke it my mistake then no worries but what about my honours for it my heart feel broken and my family also give curse on me for this bus what should we do now .

My grandmother bought this from an old store that is existi in France, I request you that can you please go to France and buy me the possession same size and then I put it into me door lock

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The letter addresses all three bullet points: describing the item, explaining its importance, and requesting action. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited and occasionally confusing. For example, the request for the friend to travel to France to replace the item is unrealistic and lacks a clear, logical tone for a friendly letter. While the purpose of the letter is clear, the emotional tone is inconsistent, shifting from friendly to accusatory and then to an unreasonable demand. To improve, ensure that your ideas are practical and that the tone remains consistent throughout the correspondence.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The letter is divided into two paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The transition between the initial greeting and the description of the broken item is abrupt. Cohesive devices are used, but they are often misused or mechanical, such as 'Hope so that so spent better time here' and 'but what about my honours for it'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the narrative flow. Using a wider range of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph focuses on a single, well-developed idea would significantly improve the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is quite limited and contains several errors that impede clarity. Phrases like 'my family also give curse on me' and 'that is existi in France' are non-standard and awkward. There is a reliance on basic vocabulary, and some word choices are inappropriate for the context, such as 'honours' when referring to a personal possession. To reach a higher band, you should focus on learning common collocations and ensuring that your word choices accurately reflect the intended meaning. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives would also help in conveying the value of the item more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that often affect the reader's understanding. There are issues with verb tenses ('my grandmother given it'), subject-verb agreement ('that is existi'), and sentence structure ('I'm happy to for you that you love at my house'). Complex sentence structures are attempted but are generally inaccurate. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing commas and incorrect spacing. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically subject-verb-object patterns and correct tense usage, before attempting more complex structures.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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